TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I totally get the specialty fasteners thing—those have bailed me out too. I’m curious, though: do you ever regret tossing something you thought you’d never use? I keep second-guessing myself when I do a clean-out...
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I keep second-guessing myself when I do a clean-out...
That’s honestly my life right now. I moved into my first place last year and inherited a garage full of random bits—old hinges, half-used paint cans, mystery screws. I tried to be ruthless and tossed a bunch of it, thinking “when am I ever going to need this?” Fast forward two months and I’m patching up a fence, realizing the exact bracket I threw out would’ve fit perfectly. Ended up making a hardware store run for something I literally had in my hand weeks before.
It’s tough because clutter drives me nuts, but buying the same stuff twice is even more annoying. Specialty fasteners are the worst for this—never need them until you do, then they’re impossible to find. I guess my rule now is if it’s unique or hard to replace, I’ll stash it somewhere (within reason). But generic screws and nails? Those can go. Still feels like a gamble every time though...
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
Totally get this dilemma. When I first started tackling projects around the house, I kept everything—old plumbing bits, random tiles, even a broken faucet handle “just in case.” But honestly, it got out of hand fast.
Here’s how I handle it now:
- If it’s something specific (like a weird-sized hinge or a specialty bracket), I’ll keep it in a small labeled bin.
- Anything rusty, stripped, or missing parts? Tossed without hesitation.
- Paint cans: if it’s more than a year old or nearly empty, out it goes. The odds of matching that color again are slim anyway.
- For generic stuff (screws, nails), I just keep a small jar of each. If I run out, I buy more as needed.
I used to think I’d save money by keeping everything, but half the time I couldn’t find what I needed when the moment came. Now my garage is less chaotic and I’m not rebuying as much as I thought. Still, every once in a while, I’ll regret tossing something... but not enough to go back to hoarding.
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I’m honestly in the thick of this right now. Just moved into my first house and I swear, every time I open a closet or look in the garage, there’s another random box of “useful” stuff left by the previous owner. Like, how many mismatched cabinet knobs does one person need? I’m struggling with the paint can thing—what if I need to touch up a wall next year? But then again, they’re taking up so much space. Anyone else wrestle with the guilt of tossing something you might maybe possibly need someday... or is that just me?
TRIMMING DOWN EXPENSES ON PROJECT SUPPLIES
I get it—my garage was a graveyard for “just in case” hardware for years. Here’s the thing: I used to keep every leftover hinge and screw, but 90% of the time, I’d forget I even had them and buy new anyway. Paint cans though... that’s a tough one. I started labeling them with the room and date, then after two years, if I hadn’t touched up anything, out they went. Space is worth more than old paint, at least for me.
